Hodgson Mill Recipe BlogHodgson Mill Bloghttp://www.hodgsonmill.com/OurCommunity/Blog.aspxSpiced Carrot Cake Smoothie + Giveawayhttp://www.hodgsonmill.com/OurCommunity/Blog/TabId/354/PostId/391/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie.aspxGluten Free,Vegan,Vegetarian,BeveragesFri, 25 Jul 2014 15:11:55 GMT<p>&nbsp;<img src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-01.jpg" alt="Hodgson Mill - Spiced Carrot Cake Smoothie" longdesc="Hodgson Mill - Spiced Carrot Cake Smoothie with Flax Chia Blend and Gluten Free Oats" title="Hodgson Mill - Spiced Carrot Cake Smoothie" /></p> <p>I have never understood how people could have smoothies as a meal.&nbsp; To me, they&rsquo;ve always been a snack; maybe a part of breakfast &ndash;but not the whole thing. But I do appreciate how many awesome, nutritious foods you can pack into a smoothie, so I&rsquo;ve been trying to turn over a new leaf. &nbsp;I&rsquo;ve tried a few, and though the all-fruit ones don&rsquo;t grab me, I read somewhere that there are smoothies out there that taste like cake. THAT got my attention.</p> <p> <img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-02.jpg" /></p> <p>As a lifelong baker (and smoothie skeptic), this smooth and creamy cake-flavored smoothie is an easy transition for my taste buds into this brave new world of smoothies, and it keeps me satisfied if I drink it for a meal. It has carrots, dates, pineapple, and coconut milk, and it gets extra heft and creaminess from <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/gluten-free-quick-rolled-oats-118-oz--71518-02186-001_group" target="_blank">Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Quick Rolled Oats</a> and extra good stuff from <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/flax-chia-blend-112-oz--71518-01010-001_group?cc=gluten+free" target="_blank">Hodgson Mill Flax Chia Blend</a>. </p> <p>If you&rsquo;ve never added oats to a smoothie, you&rsquo;re in for a treat. These quick rolled oats are milled so finely that I have had no trouble adding them straight to the blender without cooking first, and they give a slight creaminess to the finished product. The Flax Chia blend also thickens it slightly, and adds just a faint nutty taste in the background. </p> <p>&nbsp;Ready to start? Come, gaze into my blender . . .</p> <p><img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-03.jpg" /></p> <p>Dates make the sweet base of this smoothie. Sometimes they can harden when stored, so soaking them in warm water and blending them into a paste before adding the other ingredients ensures they&rsquo;re completely smooth. </p> <p>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-04.jpg" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-05.jpg" /></p> <p>After blending the dates, I layered all the rest of the ingredients&mdash;cooked carrots, <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/gluten-free-quick-rolled-oats-118-oz--71518-02186-001_group" target="_blank">Quick Rolled Oats</a>, <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/flax-chia-blend-112-oz--71518-01010-001_group?cc=gluten+free" target="_blank">Flax Chia Blend</a>, spices, coconut milk and almond milk (or another milk of your choice), and last of all the frozen pineapple chunks&mdash;and my blender was good to go. Every blender is different, so you may need to add a few ingredients at a time and blend as you go if you think yours will struggle. As you can see above, the liquid covers more than half of the solid ingredients&mdash;that&rsquo;s a good sign that your ratios are right on and your smoothie will be drinkable, not just spoonable like ice cream. (Unless you like that.)</p> <p>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-06.jpg" /></p> <p>Pulse and blend until all the liquid is swirling easily throughout the blender for at least 5 seconds. Again, every blender is different, so you&rsquo;ll have to use your judgment, but it may take 30-90 seconds or more. &nbsp;Try not to overmix, because the frozen pineapple will melt.</p> <p>&nbsp;Now is your chance to taste the smoothie, and if you&rsquo;d like it thinner and more pourable, add a little more milk of your choice and blend again. Repeat until it&rsquo;s the right consistency for you. You&rsquo;ll need to add just a little liquid at a time and blend, because it&rsquo;s easy to make it thinner, but it can be hard to thicken it up again.</p> <p><img alt="" src="/Portals/7/HodgsonMills/Recipes/Photos/spiced_carrot_cake_smoothie/Hodgson-Mill-Spiced-Carrot-Cake-Smoothie-07.jpg" /></p> <p>That&rsquo;s it. Now I see the appeal &ndash;quick, flavorful, and packed with nutrition powerhouses like dates, carrots, flax, and chia seed. I love the comforting taste of carrots and spices balanced with the sweet tang of pineapple, and the creamy texture from the oats and coconut milk. If I didn&rsquo;t know it was so good for me, I&rsquo;d think it was a shake! How could I not love starting my day like this?</p> <p>&nbsp;What do you think? Are smoothies part of your routine, or are you a skeptic? If you love smoothies, do you have a favorite flavor combination? (I&rsquo;m looking for recommendations!) </p> <p>Since this is a new product for us, we're also hosting a Giveaway! Check out the widget below. One way to win would be to leave a comment below, telling us your favorite smoothie flavor, or what you would make with <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/flax-chia-blend-112-oz--71518-01010-001_group" target="_blank">Hodgson Mill Flax Chia Blend</a> if you win. Good luck!</p> <p> <a id="rc-62e631607" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/62e631607/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script></p> <h1>Spiced Carrot Cake Smoothie</h1> <h2>Ingredients</h2> <ul> <li>1/2 cup dates chopped and pitted (about 5-6)</li> <li>1 cup carrots peeled and chopped</li> <li>1/4 cup <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/gluten-free-quick-rolled-oats-118-oz--71518-02186-001_grouphttp:/www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/gluten-free-quick-rolled-oats-118-oz--71518-02186-001_group" target="_blank">Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Quick Rolled Oats</a></li> <li>2 Tbsp. <a href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/gluten-free/flax-chia-blend-112-oz--71518-01010-001_group" target="_blank">Hodgson Mill Flax Chia Blend</a></li> <li>1/8 tsp. ground ginger</li> <li>1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon</li> <li>1/4 tsp. vanilla</li> <li>1/2 cup pineapple juice</li> <li>1/2 cup coconut milk</li> <li>1 - 1 1/2 cups milk (I used almond, use your preference)</li> <li>1 cup pineapple chunks, frozen if desired</li> <li> pinch salt</li> </ul> <h2>Instructions</h2> <p>Soak dates in 2-3 Tbsp. warm water at least 20 minutes, or overnight. Simmer chopped carrots in 1 cup water covered over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until tender enough to spear with a fork. Let cool completely, about 20-30 minutes (you can do this step ahead of time, and even freeze the cooked carrots ahead of time if you like a very frosty smoothie).</p> <p>&nbsp;Add soaked dates and their water to blender. Blend until you have a smooth date paste. If your blender has trouble getting to all the date pieces, add 1/4-1/2 cup of the milk so that the blades are surrounded by liquid, and scrape sides down with a spatula. When dates are completely smooth, add the rest of the ingredients (cooked carrots (I include the water that they simmered in),&nbsp;frozen pineapple,&nbsp;Quick Rolled Oats, Flax Chia Blend, spices, vanilla, pineapple juice, almond milk, and coconut milk) and blend until completely smooth and the entire smoothie is swirling smoothly inside the blender for at least 5 seconds. Test by tasting a spoonful, and if you would like a thinner smoothie, add more milk by 1/4 cup increments, blending and tasting again after each addition until it reaches desired consistency.</p> <p>&nbsp;Pour and serve immediately. It may be refrigerated for 24 hours, but the texture will change slightly and it may become thicker.</p> <h2>Notes</h2> <p> If desired, you may replace oats with more Flax Chia Blend &ndash; use a total of &frac14; cup. If you would like a slightly sweeter smoothie, try adding 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey.</p> <h2>Servings</h2> Makes 2 servings<hr /> <p>Inspired by <a href="http://www.eastewart.com/recipes-and-nutrition/spiced-carrot-cake-smoothie/" target="_blank">The Spicy RD </a></p> <p><em>You can find Spiced Carrot Cake Smoothie and other recipes from Hodgson Mill by <a href="http://www.hodgsonmill.com/OurRecipes/RecipeList.aspx">visiting the Recipes page</a>.</em></p>391Gluten Free Tropical Sunrise Buckwheat Cerealhttp://www.hodgsonmill.com/OurCommunity/Blog/TabId/354/PostId/268/gluten-free-tropical-sunrise-buckwheat-cereal.aspxBreakfastGluten Free,Hot Cereal,Quick 30 Minutes or Less,Vegan,VegetarianThu, 03 Jan 2013 14:45:20 GMT<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2743" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/?attachment_id=2743"><img width="490" height="325" src="http://hodgsonmillblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/20121201-_dsc9633.jpg?w=490&amp;h=325" alt="gluten-free tropical sunrise buckwheat cereal" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2743" /></a></p>
<p>I&rsquo;m the kind of person that needs sunshine as soon as I wake up to even begin to feel awake by noon. This time of year, I sometimes feel like I have to manufacture a little sunshine. We&rsquo;re going to forget about the grey winter scene outside for a little while with this super-quick, satisfying breakfast made with <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/Cereals/Gluten-Free-Buckwheat-Cereal-with-Milled-Flaxseed/71518-02105-001_Group.aspx" title="in Hodgson Mill's online store">Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Cereal with Milled Flaxseed</a> </strong>and loads of sunny tropical fruits.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2744" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/?attachment_id=2744"><img width="490" height="325" src="http://hodgsonmillblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/20121202-_dsc9721.jpg?w=490&amp;h=325" alt="gorgeous tropical ingredients" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2744" /></a><br />
Buckwheat cereal on its own tastes lightly nutty and pleasantly earthy&mdash;everything you love about buckwheat pancakes, but in a smooth hot cereal made up of tender buckwheat groats. (Word of the day &ndash; &ldquo;groat&rdquo; is hulled grain broken into fragments larger than grits.)</p>
<p>The tropical explosion comes from using coconut milk as a base for the cereal and by mixing in creamy mashed banana as the sweetener. Chunks of tart-sweet pineapple create an unexpected but perfect contrast to the light, smooth buckwheat cereal. And get this &mdash; this recipe is not only gluten-free, it&rsquo;s <em>vegan</em>. Gasp! You don&rsquo;t have to be hardcore on either of those fronts to enjoy it, though.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2745" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/?attachment_id=2745"><img width="490" height="325" src="http://hodgsonmillblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/20121201-_dsc9602.jpg?w=490&amp;h=325" alt="brilliant coconut milk &amp; buckwheat cereal" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2745" /></a></p>
<p>The mixture starts out brilliantly white, then the goodness of the buckwheat and flaxseed comes through as it cooks, turning it a beautiful light cream color.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2746" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/?attachment_id=2746"><img width="490" height="325" src="http://hodgsonmillblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/20121201-_dsc9661.jpg?w=490&amp;h=325" alt="tropical buckwheat groats" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2746" /></a></p>
<p>I know I&rsquo;m going on about it, but I especially love the texture of this cereal. It&rsquo;s not gluey at all (which is a hot cereal deal-breaker for me.) It reminds me of very tender and delicate steel cut oats&mdash;each buckwheat groat is almost distinct, but as a whole the cereal is very smooth and creamy.</p>
<p>Now, you have a choice here when it comes to which coconut milk you use. I tend to use &ldquo;classic&rdquo; coconut milk, and not low fat, because I like the taste and I&rsquo;m usually active enough to handle the additional calories and fat. (As long as I keep up with my New Year&rsquo;s resolutions.)</p>
<p>You can always choose to use low-fat coconut milk, or use half coconut milk and half water if you want to restrict fat in your diet. It will be slightly less creamy and sweet when you use water, but a little extra mashed banana will fix that.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2747" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/?attachment_id=2747"><img width="490" height="325" src="http://hodgsonmillblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/20121201-_dsc9668.jpg?w=490&amp;h=325" alt="nom nom nom" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2747" /></a></p>
<p>With the goodness of buckwheat and flax seed, and the tropical kick of banana, coconut and pineapple, this makes me want to rush out the door and meet the day &mdash; even when I&rsquo;m two steps out the door and realize that it&rsquo;s raining. Again.</p>
<p>For another tropical escape breakfast, you might like these <a target="_blank" href="http://hodgsonmillblog.com/2012/01/10/rise-and-shine-tropical-multigrain-muffins/" title="my recipe from January 2012"><strong>Rise and Shine Tropical Multigrain Muffins</strong></a> from last year, made with carrot, pineapple, coconut milk, and macadamia nuts!</p>
<h1>Gluten Free Tropical Sunrise Buckwheat Cereal</h1>
<h2>Ingredients</h2>
<p>1 banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)<br />
&frac34; cup coconut milk<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
&frac14; cup&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/Cereals/Gluten-Free-Buckwheat-Cereal-with-Milled-Flaxseed/71518-02105-001_Group.aspx" title="in Hodgson Mill's online store">Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Cereal with Milled Flaxseed</a><br />
&frac14; cup pineapple, chopped<br />
Sprinkle of nutmeg (optional)</p>
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<p>In a small bowl, use a fork to mash banana until creamy. In a medium saucepan, mix together coconut milk, buckwheat cereal and salt. Over medium heat, stir occasionally until simmering. Continue stirring occasionally for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until mixture thickens and turns a warm cream color. Turn off heat, add mashed banana and stir to blend completely.</p>
<p>Ladle into serving bowls, top with pineapple chunks, and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired. Serve hot.</p>
<h2>Notes</h2>
<p>Cover any unused portion immediately to prevent skin from forming. It&rsquo;s best served fresh, but leftovers can be tightly sealed and refrigerated for 2-3 days.</p>
<h2>Servings</h2>
<p> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; text-align: start; letter-spacing: normal; color: #333333;">Makes 2 servings.</span>&nbsp;Can be easily doubled or tripled.</p>
<p>Original recipe by Erin</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>268